'''Benjamin Parke''' ([[September 2]], [[1777]] – [[July 12]], [[1835]]) was a [[19th century]] American [[soldier]] and [[politician]].  Born in [[New Jersey]], he moved to [[Lexington, Kentucky]] in 1797, where he studied law in the office of [[James Brown]]. He moved on to [[Vincennes, Indiana]] between 1799 and 1801.

Parke served as [[Attorney General]] of the [[Indiana Territory]] from 1804 to 1808.

In 1805, Parke was elected to the first territorial legislature. He was then selected as the territory's first representative in [[United States House of Representatives|Congress]]. While serving in Congress, responding to requests from his constituents, Parke asked that body to amend the [[Northwest Ordinance]] to allow slavery in Indiana. This effort was unsuccessful.

Captain Benjamin Parke commanded a troop of Indiana Light [[Dragoons]] at the [[Battle of Tippecanoe]] in 1811. He was promoted to major, and took command of all mounted forces after Major [[Joseph Hamilton Daviess]] was killed.

Parke served as a delegate from [[Knox County, Indiana]] at the state consitutional convention in 1816. He was [[United States federal judge|U.S. District Judge]] for Indiana from 1817 until 1835.

Parke was involved in the founding of the Vincennes public library and [[Vincennes University]]. He was the first president of the Indiana State Historical Society.

Parke died on [[July 12]], [[1835]] in [[Salem, Indiana]]. He is buried at [[Crown Hill Cemetery]] in [[Indianapolis, Indiana|Indianapolis]].

==Places named in honor of Parke==
*[[Parke County, Indiana]]

==External links==
*{{CongBio|P000052}}
*[http://www.statelib.lib.in.us/www/ihb/resources/convmembers1816.html Delegates to the 1816 Constitutional Convention]
*[http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ky/tippecanoe/chapter11.html Battle of Tippecanoe]
*[http://famousamericans.net/benjaminparke/ Famous Americans]
*[http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/parish-parke.html Political Graveyard]
*[http://www.adena.com/adena/epler/e13.htm Slavery in Indiana]
*[http://www.indianahistory.org/Library/manuscripts/collection_guides/SC1692.html#BIO Benjamin Parke Papers]

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{{USRepSuccessionBox
| state=Indiana Territory
| district=AL
| before=None; first in line
| after= [[Jesse B. Thomas]]
| years=[[December 12]], [[1805]] – [[March 1]], [[1808]]
}}
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[[Category:1777 births|Parke, Benjamin]]
[[Category:1835 deaths|Parke, Benjamin]]
[[Category:Indiana politicians|Parke, Benjamin]]
[[Category:Pre-statehood territorial delegates to the United States House of Representatives|Parke, Benjamin]]
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